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  • Randall Garrison

    Randall Garrison
August 12, 2010

Ardmore man in Stephens County jail

Garrison suspected of burglary

Toni Hopper The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — Randall Joe Garrison was transferred Tuesday by the Stephens County Sheriff’s Department to the county jail from the Carter County jail, to appear on alleged second degree burglary charges.

Garrison, 47, of Ardmore, appeared in Stephens County District Court Tuesday and bond was set at $7,500. His preliminary hearing  conference is set for 9 a.m. Oct. 5.

Sheriff Wayne McKinney said the alleged crime took place in Loco, after a couple went on vacation July 31. When they returned to their home Aug. 5, it had been ransacked in their absence, and jewelry and a large Phillips flat screen TV were missing.

McKinney credits Deputy Chris Lemons with the thorough investigative work that was assigned to him and also allowed Lemons to expedite the arrest of Garrison.

“On Aug. 1, I promoted two of my deputies to full-time investigators,” he said.

Lemons’ investigation included an interview with the victim to help her think about who could have known the couple would be gone on vacation.

“He investigated this on the 5th, nearly a week after it happened and had an arrest in Carter County on Saturday,” McKinney said.

He said that interview revealed information about Garrison and an alleged visit to the couple’s home right before they departed.

“That made him the prime suspect. During the interview with Garrison, he confessed,” McKinney said.

According to the affidavit filed for an arrest warrant, the victim said that Garrison is the ex-husband of one of her college friends and when he stopped by he saw their suitcase out and he asked why the suitcase was out. As Lemons further investigated the crime, McKinney said, he discovered the missing TV at Garrison’s ex-wife’s home in Ardmore.

The victim actually praised her friend, Garrison’s ex-wife for helping solve the crime. When the victim talked with the Ardmore woman and told her the TV was missing, the woman realized it was the same TV that her ex-husband allegedly gave to their daughters. 

“It had the serial number on it that matched the missing TV,” McKinney said.

“It was some real good police work with the investigators and the victim,” he said.

According to the affidavit, the Ardmore resident gave the Ardmore Police permission to take the TV from her home and that the victim had received a call from her friend who told her where to find Garrison. He was arrested by the Ardmore Police Department, and then Stephens County Sheriff’s Department was notified.



— Toni Hopper is a reporter for The Duncan Banner. She can be reached at 580-255-5354, Ext. 132 or by e-mail at: toni.hopper@duncanbanner.com.

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